


Seeing Pink

by gay_shipper



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, I am Supercorp Trash, Pink Kryptonite, Supergirl (TV 2015) Season 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:41:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22070464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_shipper/pseuds/gay_shipper
Summary: When Kara and Lena have not yet reconciled after the crisis, Supergirl comes home one day to a gift at her door. One semi-anonymous card later and Kara is on her way to L-Corp under the influence of not just hope. Whatever it is Lena will have to work hard to fix the situation. When she fails a new truth may be revealed. Who really knows what's real anyway?A threat by any other name is still as deadly.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 21
Kudos: 166





	Seeing Pink

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to anyone interested enough to click on this link. This is my first story on AO3 and the story went off in a different direction than I had expected. Hope it's gay enough.  
> Be gay, do crime.

Anything said about Pink Kryptonite has been researched but there is not much evidence. It has been mentioned all of twice, having different effects and never clarifying what exactly is done with it, let's have some fun.

This story takes place after COIE but Kara and Lena have not made up. 

Narrator's POV

Time can't heal all wounds, nothing could heal the paragons from the horrors they'd seen and witnessed. Kara especially had lost everything only to lose another iteration of her cousin and have to work with his killer, her enemy. They were to never talk about the events of that time. 

Each saviour had separated after the event, if they survived of course. Lex still hadn't been able to avoid a prison sentence. The hardest part for Kara was working by his side but not just for the typical reasons. He'd grown up with a lost friend of Kara's and possessed some of the same mannerisms, it was worse when he'd begin to rattle off stories of his sister. There was a cold fondness that came with reliving memories at that point. No one knew what to do. Hope, courage, truth, destiny, humanity, honour and love. What were they to do in their unmoving time? 

That time often sat at the forefront of Kara's mind. She'd had to find a way to survive while almost everyone she'd ever cared for were just gone. With the time she'd spent on that ship it wasn't rare for her to wake up believing she hadn't left the ship after the fact. No one had counted how long they were trapped, or could. 

Kate had been used to receiving calls or even visits on days like this. There were advantages to a singular Earth. The pair spent hours talking some days, there were luxuries they'd missed that they were able to recall together. Chocolate had been sorely missed. 

Those sorrow-filled mornings were becoming rarer but hadn't quite died out just yet. There had been another topic brought up on many occasions, however, Lena. Supergirl had since confided in the Bat that she wasn't quite sure she was straight and that had led onto asking if she had someone in mind. Kara had said no, before going on a long spiel about how even her best friend couldn't stand the sight of her anymore. Seeing as how any distraction was welcome Kate had asked about the woman. That had been their topic of conversation until Supergirl was beckoned away. What better time for Kate to tell her love-struck friend how not platonic the relationship truly seemed? 

The idea proposed to her sat at the front of her mind as Supergirl went about her week. Was she gay? She hadn't really thought about it before. Sure, Alex being attracted to girls had made her think about it a little but wanting to date attractive people was normal, right? Whatever. The worries had been quietly brushed away by battles and a more simplistic way at home, someone had left her a gift. Normally, a led lined box would be a cause for worry but the note said L.L. Lena, it had to be. Within the small package was a necklace where a small pink stone sat within a silver cage. All the information said inside was about October's birthstone, the sender's birthday was in October. Maybe she was ready to talk.

There was this excitement bubbling in the alien, Lena wanted to talk again, what was she to say? Deciding what to wear was just as difficult. There was no outfit that said sorry for breaking your heart, please give me a chance to help you heal, so a navy suit with red accents would have to do. She may have chosen the blazer over the waistcoat but the shirt just looked better that way. No first impression could matter as much as this ever could, getting to know someone again was even harder. Sometimes in life, there are things you can't not think of somebody. You can't always change in someone's mind, how did Lena see her now? No better time to find out. 

Through every fault of her own, the young CEO had forgotten to change the VIP treatment of the reporter directly into her office. When she was just shown on the door, well Lena had almost been rendered speechless. If it weren't for that perfected poker face of hers, well who knows?  
"Miss Danvers, can I help you?" The hard exterior she had perfected was the only shield around her, for the moment.   
"Lena, I believe this may be more mutually beneficial." There was this confidence that was festering, or maybe recklessness. When offered a seat Kara had instead pulled one up next to her old friend.   
"You better get to the point before I have security come up here to escort you out." The distance between the pair wasn't enough for the building owner's liking.   
"We both know they couldn't." That was an opinion that could be quickly denatured on an ordinary day.   
"I have kryptonite, don't test me here." Boundaries weren't always made to be broken and here Kara was, almost invading her personal space.   
"And what do you want me at human strength for? Begging for mercy?" Was that a wink? Had the usually reserved Kara Danvers just openly flirted with the woman who used to be her boss?   
"Supergirl,"  
"Why not try Kara? People are always screaming the other name." Kara hadn't always been so blase around this sort of topic. Through gritted teeth Lena had struggled to spit out the name on her tongue, it was too sweet for such harsh treatment.   
"Kara, this isn't appropriate for my workspace. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."  
"Really?" That challenging glare held a more seductive tone than neutral. 

Within a flash, Kara stood, blazer off just finishing rolling her sleeves up. "How about I help you relax?" Poor Lena jumped up at what she believed was being insinuated. "I meant a shoulder rub." She cleared up as she eased the woman back into her chair. As much as Lena had attempted to stop it her arguments dripped away just as quickly as the tension in her back. Kara was really good at this. It was unfortunate Lena had to remember the decisions she had made that led them both here.   
"We're not friends Kara, and I don't know what this is but you need to stop." This menacing look had fallen over her usually sweet features. Seeing that would stop anyone in their tracks, even the CEO as she sank back into her chair. This woman had faced man-made Gods without cowering, this was something else. Back still facing the blonde she felt a voice by her ear, almost stopping her heart in the process.   
"I never said I wanted to be friends, Miss Luthor." The pause before her name was unnecessary but definitely dramatic. This sort of thing had never happened in her office before. The last time she hadn't been in control in her own office she'd hated it. 

Something was happening that neither one of the women had anticipated would ever happen. What was Lena to do?  
"What do you want?" There was not yet the perfect phrase created in this language.   
"If it isn't obvious, I don't appear to be doing very well. I'd have tried a more subtle approach but that hadn't worked with you." Memories of the past years they'd known each other came to mind. Was Kara really as friendly as she thought? The chair spun to reveal a smirk on Danvers' face for once. Now the shoe was on the other foot, the powerful woman in the chair was rendered speechless. Seeing as such an effect was rare, Kara found herself leaning onto the armrests as she carried on. "Is the cat finally out of the bag?" If it weren't for the superhearing, she would've ceased by now. She'd seen the Luthor endure a room of shouting, rich and powerful men while her heartbeat never faltered, nor increased. Now the erratic drumbeat in her ears gave her confidence.   
"I-I think you may need to leave." The hard swallow had only stolen a chuckle from the one who had all the power.   
"Well, I assume you have somewhere else planned for this little encounter, if not I'm sure my place will do." Why she had the confidence to say any of this was beyond them both.   
"You need to stop." The words were tripped over but still clear. Whatever was going on had gone too far. Still, when the young Luthor had attempted to push her away and her hands landed on her stomach, well she wasn't quite prepared. That will to get her away was slipping.   
"I didn't have the confidence to come see you until I got your little gift and you already want me to leave?" This was the tipping point.   
"I never sent you a gift."  
"The necklace and note say otherwise." Could her assistant have done this and not told her? The last assistant she'd had was Eve, and that was almost a year ago. This could be why Kara was acting so strange, as much as Lena wished, it could never be real.

Lena's POV

With all the time spent ignoring the phone trying to vibrate off my desk, the caller was finally here. Her ringtone may have ruined one of my favourite songs but she was one of the reasons I loved it. A basic ringtone wouldn't do for someone like Kara. The Brooklyn 99 rendition of I Want It That Way had been perfect. Now, before me was a completely different personality, wearing the same face. 

"You need to give me the necklace." Whoever it was from could not have had good intentions if they were impersonating me.   
"What else do you need?" If she didn't stop soon I didn't know what I would do. Whatever she claimed to have from me could be dangerous though, she'd never really act this way. As my hand held her back her voice became softer, that was my Kara.  
"I can always take the shirt off for you love." It was her, but it wasn't. She looked at me as if I were everything in this multiverse, that could never be the Kara I knew. The woman I knew couldn't love me enough to tell me the truth. A sick part of me didn't want all this to change.   
"You don't want that." She'd backed me up to the desk this time, that was when she'd made her mistake.   
"A simple shirt isn't even important in this equation," she leant towards my ear again, "all I want is you, Lena." There was only so much I could take, being hurt by her. This was an entirely new limit. 

This had to stop.   
"Please show me the necklace." I'd never felt so defeated, how would she react to me once this all ended? There had been a small part of me hoping we could have some kind of relationship once again one day. Instead of listening she'd effortlessly lifted me onto my desk with some remark about me being able to see from higher up.   
"Now what's so special about this necklace?" If she wasn't going to hand it over I was going to have to play along a little, how unfortunate.   
"Well, it convinced you to come see me, I've never seen it in person myself." That seemed to convince her a little. She'd been a little suspicious but not enough to do anything about it. To help the facade, I'd looped a finger through her belt loops and tugged her closer. Now she believed me. 

A sparkling chain was pulled between the space where buttons should've regularly been at the top of a shirt. It held a glimmering pink stone; the sunlight peeking over her shoulder really helped the beauty of it. I'd seen this before. Looking through Lex's many schemes after he was jailed I'd seen plans for different kinds of kryptonite. Changing the chemical compound slightly could have a whole host of interesting reactions, thankfully he only had a limited supply of the original to play with. This particular colour left me wondering what the damage could exactly be. Red had made her practically evil so at least my life was safe, what could it be? 

When Kara next went to speak her voice had become a lot deeper, not a natural thing at all.   
"Like what you see?" I'd been so enthralled with saving her life I hadn't even noticed I'd kind of been staring directly at her chest. My face burnt with the realisation but there were more important things to deal with than a little embarrassment.   
"Why don't you take this off so it doesn't get broken?" I hadn't thought of the implications a very 'loose' Supergirl could let her mind wander to, how naïve.  
"I didn't realise you were planning anything so, active." The deep voice didn't suit her. Still, she complied and allow me to relieve her of her jewellery, not without some new quip of course. It was when she allowed me to take it off that she became truly eccentric. Rather than just turn like a normal person she'd lent towards me with her hands either side of me on the desk. My hands didn't move to the necklace. Every part of me wanted to just risk the entirety of what had been our friendship for just a kiss. I wanted to love her deeper than I had before, no secrets between us and no reason for there to be. I wanted someone to know every part of me and not leave, she hadn't. More than anything I wanted someone to care for me like she once did. That destructive part of me and those damn emotions had blinded me. I understood why she was scared to tell me and I'd become that fear for her. I understood why she hadn't told me at first too, it was the time in between that had left me confused. Even still my heart allowed itself to need her, now more than ever. 

One of her hands had moved to cup my cheek, she must've noticed my lack of movement.   
"What are you waiting for?" There was no innuendo hidden behind this one, just a woman feeling dejected.   
"If this isn't real, I can't go back." She stepped back from me for a moment, had I just ruined it all over again? She titled my head up to see her.  
"If this isn't real my very being has found a way to trick me." There was this sweetness to her words that rivalled the very taste of sugar. Still, there was something I had to know.   
"Did you feel this way yesterday?" I was worried I would offend her.   
"Can I say yes when I feel stronger with each passing day?" The deeper voice had crawled its way back to our little bubble. I had to fix this but if I never got another chance I had to make the most of it now. Still sat on the edge on my desk I wrapped my fingers around the front of her shirt and pulled her close to me. Her hands steadied her as I wasted no more time. I finally kissed her. 

Despite her original attitude, she was nothing but respectful with me. Her hands had only just left the desk to sit on my waist. She'd pulled back from me, despite instinct I just needed to keep my eyes closed for a moment. That may never happen again. The door slamming open convinced me to finally leave my little imaginary world and rejoin the real one.   
"You texted me!" Alex was almost puffing, I couldn't imagine how far away she had been. Seeing her sister so close to me must've confused her too, as it should. The sister, on the other hand, seemed almost furious. She was distracted briefly her attempt to approach the agent by the door, allowing me a chance to grab the kryptonite cuffs out of my top drawer. An evil super targeting me had always been a slight worry. Kara had frozen when the first one clicked over her wrist. I had absolutely no doubt she possessed every ability to turn on me and stop me, she didn't. Her acceptance was probably the most difficult part.   
"If you'd wanted me like this, you could've just asked." The flirt was back in the uncharacteristically deep voice, it couldn't hide the dejected look hidden in her irises, however. Turning back to a very confused director I didn't even know where to begin.   
"Coloured kryptonite." That about did the trick. 

Together we hauled the superhero to my lab where I could further look at and study the effects. With all the unhelpful comments from the girl of steel my face felt a little warm, especially with her sister looking pointedly between the two of us. The Kryptonian enclosure had been dismantled but there was still someone soundproof that I could put her, for now.   
"What did I walk in on?" Oh dear.   
"That is what we are here to fix." It would be so much easier pretending she never broke my heart once I didn't have to see her again.   
"Whatever happened to her did not make you kiss her back." She didn't need to know I initiated it, the fact she knew I was willing was bad enough.   
"How did you-,"   
"The only time my sister looks at me like that is when you're around and I've interrupted something." Right, FBI agent, nothing slips by them.   
"That doesn't mean anything director."   
"The lipstick on her lips says otherwise." Goddamnit! She knew the whole damn time and didn't say a thing. 

Alex had not had the reaction I expected from her. Rather than teasing me her face stay neutral. "You hurt her, you don't just get to walk back into her life like what you did at the fortress never happened." Something wasn't making sense in her head.   
"I'm not asking to walk back into her life. I kissed a straight woman, isn't that enough embarrassment to deal with? I don't want to have to see her too." I did not want to be a part of their little coven, surrounded by liars was not the way I wanted to live my life. Surrounded by Kara and her friends I would be in pain, pretending to be not only straight but also only friends was not something I could sustain again.   
"For one of the greatest minds currently alive you're really fucking stupid, you know that?" How dare she?  
"You know what? The threat is contained, you can leave." Alex didn't even move an inch, this wasn't a hint that she couldn't understand, it was an order.   
"She's not straight, she doesn't want to put a label on it because she just loves who she loves."   
"This conversation doesn't matter, let it go." Kara was Supergirl, an alien. It didn't matter who she loved because it would never be me nor could it ever be.   
"Why because you're scared to admit you're in love with my sister?" Yes.   
"My feelings are none of your business."  
"And apparently none of yours either with all the avoiding you've been doing." Just because she was right did not mean she had any right to say it.   
"You're crossing the line, director, security have clearance to get up here." If Alex wanted to put herself on the list of those not allowed in the building, she could do so very easily.   
"Do it! Call them and keep living in pain and denial, just like Kara. I made her hide an amazing part of herself when we were younger and she still hasn't completely come to terms with who she is." Kara's wellbeing was not my responsibility.   
"That is enough!" I never lost my temper and yet that family had caused me to twice in the same year. Still, Alex didn't back down.   
"She chose the world over Mon-El but couldn't do the same with you. She'd seen the devastation of Myriad and still begged me to trust J'onn's brother without enough evidence to believe in his intentions. She didn't put her faith in him." Why was she trying so desperately to force me to forgive them? They'd made it clear they were happy to hide a big secret from me. They never trusted me, it wasn't the other way around. I didn't feel like making myself so vulnerable again. "After everything, Kara has done to protect you, even with how much you hurt her she still couldn't find it in herself to let you come to any harm. If you still don't see how much she loves you I can list an entire television show's worth of proof, but if you don't believe now you're just not wanting to see it. She needs you too." I knew she cared, that wasn't the issue. She had been my friend once after all. The extent to which she cared was a little hazy.   
"I don't need her." Anymore.   
"Then why go ape shit when you found out she hid something from you?" If I was going to be forced the have this conversation the sister would go away knowing the truth.   
"I was hurt because I'd told her to do anything but lie to me, but I'm not sure how that is any of your business. Now get out of my building before I have you arrested for trespassing." She gathered her stuff but couldn't quite leave in silence.  
"I get you're hurting and I understand but know that as long as you ignore everything that isn't work you're hurting her too. Maybe you're okay with that being your revenge, I think we both know you don't really want to hurt her." I suffered, I may not have wanted her to but if she was a casualty in keeping myself safe so be it. 

According to what was left of my brother's research the particular strand of kryptonite he had gifted Kara was intended to not only make her gay but also change her gender. (These are the known effects in DC) That would explain the deep voice and attitude. My heart ached with this new truth. How long had she even had the thing? There was no known cure, she'd just have to wait it out, and I needed to know how long she'd been exposed. 

Finding her huddled in the corner was worse than seeing her veins pop a sickly fluorescent colour because this had happened because of me. I didn't do this. Her catching me in the fortress was the only reason I even had to face her then. Never had I planned to actually tell her. She was supposed to be controlled, just like everyone else. Now I had her scared and hurt, stashed away in my lab. As the mic switched on so, I could tell her I was coming in the speaker did too. She was praying. Not in Kryptonian or any other language foreign to me, just English. She prayed for strength. She asked for guidance as to whether to walk away or not, her mind was plagued with whether she should keep fighting for me or to just let go.   
"You should leave, surely the universe and your God has shown you that by now. It seems it was my brother's dying wish for it to be that way." When she didn't move, I entered swiftly. There was always the possibility of asking the questions but I needed to prove to myself that I could do this.  
"Your brother isn't dead." Her voice may have returned to its normal decibel level, but it was now far too quiet.  
"You're lying. I watched him die, I killed him." I couldn't do this, this couldn't be.  
"The Monitor brought him back, and I had to work with him to bring everything back." Why did this new news make me furious?  
"And you're only telling me now?" Because I was left in the dark once again.   
"He helped save the multi verse." Why was she defending him? Hadn't she hurt me enough? Hadn't he hurt her enough? Kara Danvers needed a life lesson, and I was not equipped to give it to her, that didn't mean the mention of my murderous brother hadn't sparked something in me, however. I'd shown my emotions to her a few times before. Now I was so completely amazed at her disregard.   
"He is playing with your mind and now you're putty in his hands. My brother sent you a necklace that would have made potentially irreversible changes to you. Do you even realise what you've done?" She needed to know how much of a child she really was. "Hiding a part of yourself because you betrayed me and didn't want to actually talk to me about it was so immature. Waiting until the moment nothing else could've hurt me more to finally tell me the truth was just plain rude and expecting me not to have figured it out after years clearly shows how you underestimated me." She was everyone that had ever doubted me, not different. Motives may play a part in karma or whatever universal balance there may be but right now they didn't matter. She made mistake after mistake. Pacing holes in the floor in front of her while I thought of what to say only made me realise further. She was no God and she was imperfect, just like me. "You're just an insecure little girl that never got over her traumatic childhood. We all have problems, some of us just aren't so obvious about it. Pity seeking doesn't look good on you." I couldn't take that back once it was out there. 

She hadn't looked at me or tried to argue. Her acceptance of what I'd said was the most heartbreaking part until I heard the muffled sobs she had attempted to stop from leaving her lips. Actually, looking at her revealed her teeth digging into her hand as a failed bringer of silence. "Kara, I didn't mean that directed at you. I'm so sorry." There was something I'd never seen before in her eyes. Hopelessness and defeat were something I'd never believed I'd had the displeasure of seeing on her.   
"If someone makes it clear that they don't want anything to do with me I promise I'll listen from now on." The woman stood in front of me, no confidence in her stance and gestured for me to open the door for her to leave. I couldn't just keep her locked up here. "I'm sorry I forced myself on you, both as an attempt at friendship and earlier today. It won't happen anymore, I promise." Despite how honest her word was, I wanted her to be lying. I didn't want to lose the last person that gave a shit about me. Still, I let her leave. Not even I could stop a broken Kara.

Kara's POV 

After everything, she'd made my mistakes known. Years of friendship thrown away so easily. Part of me was missing with the loss of another friendship. Everyone who had wanted to know me as Kara had left, Winn had had to go save the future and now Lena had just exposed the real me. The scared little girl never left. When I used the book of destiny, I just wanted my family back. Enough times had I seen my planet, my homes destroyed by some force of nature. Losing one last time would destroy me. That wasn't the complete story, I wasn't even truly sure of it. Either I used the book of destiny to change the memories of what happened or I didn't use the book at all. Seeing as how my mind wasn't splintered I could only believe one possibility, yet the other still lingered. My imagination had probably just conjured up another possibility. If I were to truly rewrite the world properly, I would've stopped Krypton from exploding all those years ago, now I would've anyway. Why would I have wanted to come to a world as painful as this?

I still had the book. If I had the mental capacity to hold it open, I could rewrite our broken history. Alex never would've had to endure me as a sister she never wanted, J'onn wouldn't have had his identity revealed, I could give him his family back, Lena could be truly free of me and I could be happy in my home with my blood family. A family that never really existed with a reality only I knew, all crammed into my mind. There had to be a safer way to stop my heart from hurting. 

A sound started. From within my handbag, my phone warned me of a caller. When an unforgivable song snippet started, I froze. Lena was calling me for some unknown reason, she ordered all the space in the universe yet I couldn't have but a day? When the 3rd call attempt had finished, I foolishly believed myself to be in the clear. That was until I'd heard a knock at the door a half-hour later. Every inch of my being begged for it to just be Alex with food, it wasn't. I did not go to the door.   
"Kara, I didn't mean what I said at all. I was talking to myself without even realising you were there. It's no excuse but please, just let me apologise." There was a pause when the door didn't open, I wouldn't move. "You wouldn't answer your phone so I don't even know if you're in. Maybe this is stupid but I couldn't let you get away again." My heart said to rip open the door and let her in, yet my mind kept me perfectly still. "I brought pizza and potstickers with me." I couldn't be bought with food. 

She didn't move from outside my door. It had been over an hour and still, she stayed persistent. What would someone think if they saw Lena Luthor perched outside my apartment with loads of food? Who cares? Lena was not my responsibility and how she showed herself in the public eye was her own decision. That was all outside my apartment, inside was a different story. 

Music played low from the corner of my room, loud enough for me to almost be lost in it and quiet enough so as not to disturb the neighbours. A few hours after the original person knocking, that song we both liked had come on. I had turned it off immediately. Lowly, from the other side of the wood in the door frame, I heard singing. Lena never sang. When I took my glasses off to look at her, I could see her staring at something on her phone. It was probably a work thing, and she'd be leaving soon. 

Hours later and still she hadn't left. I'd noticed she'd held a conversation or two from the comfort of the carpet but nothing could drive her away. I'd heard the conversations too.   
"Can I help you, miss?" The people in this building had always been nice to me and my guests.   
"I'm alright thank you. I'm just waiting for my friend to get home."   
"Have you tried calling her?" It was the logical next step.   
"Yes, either her phone was on silent or she was having too much fun dancing to the ringtone." I'd snorted a little at that one.  
"Would you like to wait for her in my apartment?"  
"I appreciate the offer but I'm alright thank you." The kindly lady who lives a couple doors down had nodded to her and made sure Lena knew where to find her if I was going to be awhile. 

Even later still I could hear the steady beat of her heart, she was asleep. I couldn't leave her out there, she'd get too cold. I'd been careful as to not let her fall when I finally opened the door. Next, I'd carefully picked her up and lay her down on my bed. That had been the plan anyway. Instead, her eyelids had fluttered open, and I'd put her on her feet.   
"Go home, Lena." Part of me was hoping she would listen, being half asleep and all.   
"I would give up everything for you, I'm not going to some dull apartment without you." Even with her eyes hazy with sleep, she could listen clearer than I ever could.   
"Why?" These constant exchanges between us were becoming exhausting.   
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me." That couldn't be true.   
"Then why push me away?" I'd walked away from her by this point, there was some ridiculous reason coming and I needed a drink.   
"I didn't appreciate you until I'd spent time without you. Seeing you today just brought everything right back." Sure.   
"You can't just keep hurting me, I'm not this unfeeling monster people think me to be." Everyone saw Supergirl, no one ever saw the person behind it. They'd heard stories of my past and still didn't care.   
"I know. If you were you wouldn't be such a great hero." 

Did I use the book of destiny or did we bring everything back properly? Every detail of what had happened was unlike the Lena Luthor I knew. It had to be because I could never have a happy ending. The sentiment had been well and truly seared into my mind, Winn had helped with that and Mon-El had been proof. I may never get a fairytale ending but that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy life for just a night. I was just done with all the pain and unspoken conversations. If I had the opportunity to spend time with the girls of my dreams, I needed to get over myself and just do it. The conversation we needed to have could wait just this once.   
"Just for tonight, can we forget all the pain and just live?" There was no hesitation in her words, she trusted me.  
"What's the plan?" 

There wasn't too much you could do at midnight on a Tuesday but I accepted the challenge. Grabbing all the blankets and pillows I could carry I dragged my companion down to the parking lot attached to my apartment complex. Sat in the corner was the oldish pickup that had got all my stuff to the city. The forecast showed a clear night and so we drove. All the blankets and whatnot were stuffed in the backseat while we sang along to whatever the radio was playing. I'd never had a more perfect moment in my life. Lena in my clothes with this dopey grin on her face just yelling lyrics out the window to the empty roads. She barely ever wore her hair down, now it billowed in the wind. I'd sell my soul for this to be truly real. Instead, I drove on. 

A few miles out of the city was this long, empty road. We'd driven for close to an hour to get there. You'd need to drive for at least a half-hour either direction to get anywhere close to a city. This was the perfect spot. Lena may have been confused as I pulled over, but she said nothing of it. When I climbed out to get everything from the backseat she followed. I'd told her to get back in her seat and I'd get her out when everything was ready. A quick decorating spree and trip to the nearest convenience store set everything in motion. 

She'd closed her eyes as asked so it truly was a surprise. When I'd opened up the door a worried voice had called out to me. A simple kiss on her cheek had her smiling instead.   
"Can I open my eyes?"  
"One second." She'd squealed slightly as I lifted her into my arms. The entirety of the short walk to the back of the truck consisted of her whispering false swears in my ear. 'Crap-tonite' had been my favourite. I put her down as I spoke the phrase she'd been waiting eagerly for.   
"You can open your eyes now." Her excitement at the words had me giggling as she took it all in. Battery operated fairy lights were hung around the edges of the truck bed, overshadowed only by the sheer amount of pillows and blankets. To top it all off, the corners hid a few drinks and some food.   
"Wow Kara!" Her smile grew only when she looked up at me. I'd gotten a kiss for all that. It was when I picked her up again to fly her into the truck bed that she'd wrapped her arms around my neck and thanked me. When we both lay under the blankets together, she told me a story. No interruptions, just her melodic voice. "When I was a child, my mum told me about a legend where Chinese Gods would tie an invisible red string around the pinky fingers of two people who were destined to meet. When my mother died, I spent many sleepless nights wondering if I'd already met them. After my mum, I just wanted to find them and have them save me. That was my only comfort some days, knowing someone else was destined to meet me and not run for the hills. That last name of mine does mysterious things. The old saying with it had been etched into my mind. The string can tangle and stretch but it will never come undone or break; place and circumstance don't even come into play. That was my hope until I met you. Now I don't know if you're the one I've been waiting to meet but if those almighty Gods will allow it, I will cut all of my strings and always come running back to you, and I don't run." Her words had me in awe. She didn't know me that well but she'd pick me over whoever her soulmate may be. I was honest to Rao, speechless. The only way I could find to portray my thanks was a kiss. It had started off simply, just not stayed that way. 

Who knows how long later we sat cuddled up under the blankets enjoying the food. Lena lay her head in my lap as I sat with my fingers running through her hair. As she ate, I told her the history of planets she'd only ever seen in photos. The anxiety nagging at my mind made me stop the stories in favour of trying to save my heart from being hurt yet again.   
"Promise me you'll do your best to remember tonight." My heart was getting the better of me here.   
"I could never forget this." That wasn't an answer.   
"Lena, please." The reality of this situation was hurting a lot more than I would've liked. The woman in question had immediately sat up next to me. Her arms wrapped around me in a hug was not helping.   
"What's going on?" Her soothing voice in my ear helped very little.   
"Something happened and I need to fix it. If I do, everyone may forget this reality." Her arms tightened, and she said something I never would've expected.   
"Then don't do it. I want to remember this, I want to keep this with you. Let's be selfish just this once." She didn't mean it, the shake in her voice had given her away.   
"We have until we wake up tomorrow." Not anywhere near enough time.   
"What about all the things we could've done?" They could still be done.   
"If the red string has tied us together, nothing will get in the way." We needed to have hope.   
"If it hasn't?"   
"I'll tie a new one." No matter what, I knew where my home was. 

We left soon after, Lena enjoying her peaceful slumber while she could. Her head was on my lap once again as I drove along. The music was turned down low as I took in the feeling of all this. I had no regrets anymore. If I couldn't survive the coming fight, I would at least save the planet, for her.   
"I love you." Even if I didn't have the confidence to tell her when she was conscious I still had to tell her. The little smile on her lips made me realise all I'd give up to see it more often. 

Getting myself out of the truck once I'd parked up was difficult for two reasons. Not only did I not want the night to end, but I also had to find a comfortable way to pick the girl up without waking her. It was difficult, but I did it successfully. When she lay comfortably in my bed she'd woken up slightly, only to cuddle up to me. This was the memory that would keep me fighting to my last breath. This was my motivation to save this multiverse and every being in it. 

Lena woke before me, I didn't know she was such a good cook. The array of smells was what finally woke me up. On the table sat every breakfast item I could ever hope to eat: bacon, pancakes, eggs (several ways), waffles and so much more. How long had she been awake? When she noticed my probable shocked look, she blushed a little and shrugged as if it were nothing.   
"I figured if it's the end of the world the food would just go out of date." There was no end to how she could amaze me.   
"You're gonna help me with this, right? I'm not sure even I could eat all this." We both knew this was a goodbye, it was a delicious one this time though. 

We procrastinated as long as we could. Any more time and I wouldn't be able to give it all up; the final kiss was very final. As I picked up the book, I promised her she could stay with me, that whatever happened she wouldn't have to do it alone. The only downside to giving her comfort was having to watch her turn to dust before me. As she died again, I was whisked back to the ship. 

Beside stood Kate and Sara, the other paragons hadn't known what I was planning to do.   
"Why isn't it working?" Kate had seen someone use the book before, just as I had. She knew something was wrong.   
"It didn't work when I changed it. I only delayed his attack, never stopped it." There was this ghostly feeling following me around, the last touch of her hand on my arm.   
"Well, can you try again?" Sara didn't know me as well as Kate did, the Bat had taken one look at me and deemed another shot impossible. We would fight this time and do it all properly. If we lost, we'd go down fighting. 

While wracking my brain for plans we could use I found almost nothing. All we could hope to do was stop the deranged Anti-Monitor when he had been at his weakest before all of the Earths were devoured. When The Monitor had first placed the towers on key Earths, his opposite must have been considerably weaker. If we could find the Monitor when he was at his strongest maybe he could advise us on what to do. There was no plan on how to find him or on what Earth but it was all we had. 

After reciting what little of an idea I had I'd wandered back over to where the book lay. Something felt off about it all. When I turned the book over I discovered why. On its underside, the usually minimalistic book held a pink stone, pink kryptonite. Whatever Lex had used in the future I created had come from somewhere. Only he had access to the stone, and I felt myself becoming more furious than gay this time around.   
"You made me give up everything." Locked up in his little cell he still held more power than I would've liked.   
"Guilty. What for this time?" If it hadn't been for the horrendously good timing of the sassy assassin, we would've been down a paragon.   
"Woah there blue, what's going on here?" She'd lost so much too, surely she'd understand.   
"He planted a strand of kryptonite to change my intentions with the book. Because of him I failed and lost everything, everyone all over again," My emotions finally got the better of me with hot anger streaming down my cheeks. "I felt the girl I love die in my arms, all because of him."   
"Ooh new information here for me. What a romantic, am I right?" He was stupid enough to taunt the one person he'd hurt the most. No one here wanted to protect him.   
"Can it baldy!" With one look I could melt his skin from his bones, even as Sara had tried to tone down some of the tension.   
"Don't shush me so quickly Miss Lance, I thought you knew better. Don't you want to hear the best part?" Her look to me asked what he was on about and even I didn't know. "The girl was my sister, a little below the belt don't you think?" He deserved a million lifetimes of misery, I'd have to start with just this one. First my cousin from each Earth and now Lena, he needed to get what was coming to him. 

The Canary had thought this a good time to pull me aside. I didn't need a talk about responsibility.   
"I'll let the shield down for a moment. You get a good punch in and get out." Words had deserted me at this point, all I could manage was a nod in thanks and preparation. 

Just for a flash, the shield had disappeared. With a quick punch in the face, I could revel in the satisfaction of what would soon be a black eye. To Sara it was as if it had never happened. The only hint of anything was Lex clutching his eye, I'd only punched enough to bruise.   
"You let her do that?" His surprise was easily the best part. Little Lex never had the rug pulled out from under him, he'd just lost in the past.   
"I didn't see anything." With that we left to prepare for the mission. He'd soon find what I left in his jacket pocket however, nothing but a simple note in one of his favourite codes. The decrypted version read an almost threat.   
'Everyone else here stands with me. You attack me and there's no reason for you to be kept alive. Lena tolerated you because of blood when you thought you gained the trust of a child you just found yourself making an even more dangerous enemy later in life. Be smart and you might live.' If he wanted to be an arsehole, two could play at his game. 

The mission had gone as well ascould be expected. We'd had to dodge a few dinosaurs but otherwise, it had gone okay. As hard as it may have been to originally track down the Monitor, when he was the only other non-prehistoric being he wasn't that difficult to spot with a quick flyby. Unfortunately, his only advice for us was to attack the enemy then. He hadn't known the location of his nemesis. Turning to the self-proclaimed genius he'd attempted to trade his freedom for the location of the enemy. With a little compromise he was given a larger cell and a chess set. 

With the location to hand the 7 of us had readied to end it now. If the destruction never happened out future would be restored, a rather unsatisfying ending but an end to this hell. It was a shame plans never went, well, to plan. 

Together the 7 of us had approached cautiously, Barry had gone for a perimeter check and those of us with powers were positioned at the front. When our speedster had returned he'd claimed to see nothing. We were defensive in our approach, no one would get hurt is they didn't have to. The swelling over Lex's eye hadn't come up just yet so he could see just fine. What rained down on us was quick enough to startle Barry and myself. Shards of some unknown quantity and substance barrelled towards us. Between the two of us, Barry and I had gotten everyone but J'onn to safety. With his powers he could continue on too. So it was down to 3. Once past the first line of defence there were a couple more to fight through but we just about made it. Using the knowledge and small bag of stones the Monitor had gifted us we trapped our villain in his cage. In the future, the soon to be Pariah would awaken him but history must run its course. We could not kill someone who was practically indestructible, as it was we'd barely trapped him and kept our lives. Always having to be the centre of attention, baldy had snuck back in to try to be the hero. Lex had been stupid enough to taunt him by throwing a mere stone. I'd taken him outside before noticing his antics. In my efforts to save everyone I hadn't seen it until it would be too late. As much as I had tried to destroy it the object had disappeared into the very villain that wanted us dead before I could, I missed. Meanwhile, the Manchild and the other 3 faced a very different problem once outside, prehistoric predators. 

Using my x-ray vision had shown a large group of dinosaurs heading towards us and the rest of the paragons had no idea. Our ship may have been camouflaged, but we certainly weren't. When we reached the mouth of what had been the Anti-Monitor's hovel, the evil Luthor almost stood between the jaws of his death. Not even he had a way out of this one. If it weren't for my freeze breath and a good punch who knows what he would've done. Between J'onn, Barry and I, we managed to grab them all and get back to the ship. What was the plan now?

Most of them were human and mentally aged as such. The vanishing point may have stopped us from ageing but that meant nothing anymore. Memories were disappearing with no return for what we lost in sight. Even the paragon of hope would give up, eventually. I was the last one fighting with the Martian. He had honour bound himself, he would find a solution. 

On our next encounter with The Anti-Monitor found the evil Luthor stupid enough to throw something at him again. If it weren't for the darkness around the edges of my vision and the blood leaking for a cavity in my chest, I may have cared. Not a single one of us was a medic, so I was left with them all bickering as my final trace of reality. What came next was worse. Whether it was real or not I didn't know but that made it all so much horrifying. 

Everyone was confused. People travelled the pavements with no goal or place to go. The streets were littered, who wanted to work when they were dead? Ships were grounded at every available space. Somewhere my sister worked trying to help people, I knew she had to be helping people. Kelly would be too, by my sister's side. Doing a quick scan of the ships I could see most of my little friend group. Did Lena get on the ship? There were several heartbeats I always listened for, and her's was missing. She'd sacrificed herself without anyone telling me. She was one of the first we lost. If I didn't go back, who else would be so focused on saving my Earth? J'onn knew the people he cared about would be safe with the resurrection of Earth 1. If I stopped fighting, it was all over. I promised to go back to her. Even if she didn't remember, I would. 

Of all the places in the multiverse, I hadn't expected to wake up on a beach. A wish for reality to have just been some nightmare washed over me as I attempted to sit up. A tightness stretched across my chest, forcing me back down. Soon a familiar voice or two had picked up. My eyes were closed and my head far too painful to pick out who it was.   
"J'onn stitched you up, but we didn't have any sun lamps so we came here." As thankful as I was for the explanation I needed to know what happened at the end of the fight. I'd been hurt defending them as they threw all we had at the monster. If it had worked, it was worth it. I didn't ask though. If we'd done it, I could go home but if we hadn't I had nothing left. For now, I needed to heal and to have something small to eat. 

We stood on the flight deck debating our next move. How long we'd spent doing this was unknown. We were all tired and numb to the losses we'd faced. I was out of hopeful speeches. The only true option we were faced with was trying the book again and that was not an option. Humanity was hidden somewhere trying to clear his head. This was all a lot to put on him, the fact that he'd survived so long was beyond incredible. Humanity really was persistent and strong. The proof was in the humans around me. We'd all broken down at some point or another. My decision to give up wouldn't be long now. 

Sitting in what had become my room I finally gave in. One of the cupboards had my phone gathering dust inside. Switching it on, I tried one last time to remember what I was fighting for. Pictures in my gallery of friends and family built a whole new blockade around my heart. There was one from the night Lena may never remember, returning would bring a whole new pain, she'd still hate me. As the percentage trickled down the wall got stronger. When my phone died, there was nothing left to do but give up. 

For the first time in years, months, however long the 7 of us had been fighting I walked with purpose. They sat together, talking. Even Lex had been allowed out of his containment by now. He needed us just as much as we needed him. Their positioning was perfect, I needed to talk to them all anyway.   
"There is only one opportunity left to bring everyone back and I have to do it alone." There were the expected arguments from most. We were supposed to stay together and whatnot. "We've all given up, let me hope that this final plan can work."  
"And if you die?" These paragons were very accurate with the Bat having the courage to speak up.   
"If I try and fail, we're just as screwed as we would be without a plan now. There is no other way." Unsurprisingly, they didn't seem convinced. "I am Kryptonian. I am a cold alien without any traditions to uphold. I am the last daughter of Krypton, my destiny had been written before me. This is what has always been expected of me. I was sent to Earth to live, and I did. There are people I love that deserve to live too. No one else should have to die for this. I have earned my right to defend the planet." An end to this fight of ours was in sight, that's why they were scared. 

From the quiet side of the room spoke the only one not bothered, morally, whether I lived or died.   
"She's right." I hadn't expected him of all people to agree with me. "Only a Kryptonian has the power to defeat the Anti-Monitor. Out of our little band of heroes, only she is capable." Ryan had stood beside the two of us on this as well.  
"The guy must be made of antimatter, hence the name. If that's true his cells are unstable and he shouldn't survive for more than a second. He must have trapped his body in some kind of time loop somehow, to stop the decay."   
"And what would you have her do?" J'onn didn't need to play the role of my father anymore and still, he did. It was much appreciated. He was not pleased with Luthor's answer though, whatever it was he wouldn't have been.   
"I placed a miniature hadron collider in the time loop, and a crystal Kara can use to diffract those eye laser of hers." He had more of a plan than I did for this.   
"What will that do?" It still amazed me how Sara Lance could step up to anyone without hesitation.   
"In layman's terms, lasers make collider go boom and the scaly man dies. For any of you really dialed in, according to the book, the more power Big Bertha has, the longer the timeline for his cells. If Kara can cause the collider to explode inside him, with the diffraction of the lasers still doing damage too, it could destabilise his cells." The idea seemed logical enough. Getting the correct spot would be difficult but if it worked the displaced energy should theoretically go back to its last stable form, the multiverse. Still, I believed there to be one crucial part missing.   
"If that works won't we need the Monitor? If the Anti-Monitor is made of antimatter when his cells are destabilised he would need to fuse with matter. They become nothing and the energy has to go somewhere." As much as Luthor had tried to hide it I could see the shock on his face and heard what he muttered under his breath.  
"Holy shit, and yet she thinks the glasses work." 

The plan was set. We had to time it all pretty perfectly. In the smallest time frame before the wave hit Lex was to walk in and use the transmatter portal watch to take himself and the Monitor back to us. Seeing as he'd been in the prison cell it was more explainable that the genius Lex Luthor had escaped than there was 2 of any of us. After that, it was pretty much down to me. We'd made the Monitor aware of what would be his sacrifice too, of course. He'd been expecting his end by his foe's hand since their creation. The only uncertainty about the whole thing was my fate. Everyone else would get to spend what could be their final moments with their loved ones. J'onn would be with our little family, Superman, Lois and Jonathan included. It was unfortunate Lena couldn't be there too. Everyone had someone, now to just let them all live. 

In order for us to find the smug destroyer of worlds, we had to venture to his universe, the antimatter universe. According to Lex, the universe couldn't exist for long so must'vebeen stuck in a time loop just as the people were. The pain they must've been in must've been unimaginable for us. Time to put them out of their misery. 

He stood alone, surrounded by the ruins of what had been his home. Now he knew how it felt. Someone had attacked him just as he had attacked us. Using my x-ray vision I could see the stone Lex had been on about. Pink kryptonite, classy. I'd tried to hit it perfectly on the first shot but when did that ever work? Soon it was just me vs him, the Monitor still hidden for the final attack. He'd tried talking to me, I just hadn't listened. I dodged, and I countered, ducked and rolled. Everything I could do I tried. His weakness was his pride. The one thing I had listened to was his apparent desire to snap my neck. When he got close enough to collapse my windpipe, he'd also given me the window I needed. I heard him scream as everything faded. 

My eyes opened just in time to see them merge, a fluctuation of energy shot out in every direction. Energy could not be destroyed or created but apparently it could move pretty flipping fast. I felt like a hazardous projectile with the speed I was moving. I had nowhere to go and no air to breathe. The ship that was supposed to get me home still sat in a now desolate universe. This was a waiting game I had not wanted to play. Wherever this energy was travelling, I was nothing but a straggler tagging along. A small ringing noise could be heard amongst the nothingness. I didn't want to give up now. If I was destined to wake up, I hoped it would be a place that breathed my air and had a ship for me to take home. If my body gave up before then, this was my end. 

Narrator's POV

Fallen cities stood once again. All of those who had been running, desperate to not be washed away now stopped. Crying families found themselves relieved and lovers reunited. Not a heartbeat could've continued on if it weren't for one heroic sacrifice. In addition to her, there had been another life given up for the greater good, the Monitor finally fulfilled his purpose. 

There is this idea with humanity that you cannot take things with you when you die and when the Monitor was destroyed he decided to honour the message. All of the power he had left he had channelled into that dying superhero just out of reach. Enough to heal and somewhat protect. 

The first planet to appear had been the first to witness the destruction of the wave. They may have respired in a different way to the Kryptonian but they had advanced enough equipment to help her until she awoke, if she ever did. This being had fallen from the sky above them as their world rebuilt itself around her. Unscathed and wearing an odd blue suit and red cape, they hadn't known what to make of her. When the smallest movement could be seen from her under the natural light of their red sun, they'd rejoiced. Whatever angel had been sent to them must've saved them. 

It wasn't until weeks later (by Earth's rotation around the sun) that she'd fully regained consciousness. There had been the faintest ringing in her ears once again, far to quiet to be the emergency watch she had given her friend. Ordinarily, she had no powers under a red sun. As she stared wide-eyed at those around her, her eyes focused on the tightness around her finger. Brainy's legion ring sat a bit snug but proud against the blandness of the room. With this newfound strength, Kara was now able to stand. 

New problem, the inhabitants of this planet spoke neither English nor Kryptonese, even just one of the Earthly languages would've done. There was no one who spoke a language she knew. If it weren't for their advanced technology, they wouldn't have gotten anywhere. After a brief explanation for what had happened across the multiverse, Kara found herself on her way back to Earth, finally. Some overview of her part in saving them had cemented Supergirl's status as an angel and earned her a ship. No matter how modest she tried to be, they saw the truth in her story. The journey was a lot quicker with advanced technology. A wormhole was found, able to transport her to the correct galaxy without any time fluctuation. This level of space travel was unheard of, even on Krypton. The journey had still taken a few years, but that was certainly better than aeons. Just the thought of seeing home again had Kara giddy. Reality always had to play little tricks though. The Lena she had created with the book of destiny was the one she'd spent a wonderful day with. Her real Lena barely even wanted to acknowledge her existence. 

Setting foot on Earth again, a living Earth almost had her in tears. In all the years she'd been fighting she'd almost lost hope she'd ever get the honour of seeing it again. Her apartment remained unchanged. Even with her long absence, they hadn't given up hope. The most heartbreaking part of it all was seeing everyone go about their jobs, about their day as if nothing had ever happened. Kara couldn't imagine what they'd all experienced. For them, it had been a minute at most. One second they had all stood cowering as they disappeared and moments later appeared back in the same spot. 

What was important was that Earth-38 was okay so Supergirl took a quick trip to Earth-1 to check on her teammates. They still hadn't been able to save Oliver. The funeral was one thing the city could agree on. Years ago they had honoured their fallen hero as he deserved. He died as he lived after all, a hero.

In other news, Supergirl had also been presumed dead. A funeral had been held for her across Earths and most had announced her sacrifice an international holiday. The truth of everything had been revealed to the public soon after everything had been corrected. From the antimatter wave to time travel and Supergirl's apparent final adventure. On every Earth a memorial had been made, each year people would gather to honour her. Lex had decided to let this go for the sake of the truth. If he was going tobe known as the paragon of truth he could at least let the Super's memory be honest. As for the other paragons, all but J'onn resided on Earth-1 and each of them had welcomed her with open arms. After a brief reunion and catch up, Kate had pulled aside her original friend from the group and pushed her to 'get the girl'. Of course, Kara had laughed a little, but the Bat wasn't joking. With some further convincing Kara had promised she would.

Returning to her own Earth Kara vowed to visit her mum back on Krypton soon, Clark and his family may still reside there too. For now, Kara found her sister who had promptly burst into tears, after threatening her for being an imposter. She once again found herself repeating the story, she had to at every residence she visited that night. Alex and Kelly, J'onn, Brainy and Nia, James and Eliza all welcomed her back that night. In fact, they only let her leave when she'd promised to host a gathering for them all. Brainy had also been very grateful for the return of his ring, apparently, he'd given it to the Monitor at some point with the direct instructions to give it to Kara is she need a little boost. If it weren't for him, who knew if Kara would've lived.

To close out the evening, Supergirl had been spotted hovering high above the city. It was late enough for cameras and nothing else, except of course Lena Luthor in her office. Some things never changed. Tomorrow Kara would try to talk to her, or the day after if she was busy.

Headlines focused on only one thing in the times that followed. Someone who appeared to be Supergirl was watching over them. Being a company focused on technology, Lena had the headline appear on her screen. It was on the tv first, drill noise to block out the silence. It was only silence without anybody to care about. You could get hurt if you hadn't opened it.

When a headline took up most of her work screen, she stopped. The name was tagged to send any articles to Miss Luthor's attention. All she'd ever got from the idea was a reminder of memorials but this was different, she just knew it was. Any similar articles before had been just clickbait, this one had a picture attached. In that moment nothing else mattered. Telling her assistant to cancel the driver and any other meetings for the day she grabbed some car keys and just drove.

On the other side of the city, Kara Danvers was gearing herself up for a surprise visit to her favourite CEO. Where they stood was unknown to her. If Lena was willing to see her an invitation to the party Kara was soon to be hosting would be in Lena's hand. Whatever had happened between the pair, there had hopefully been enough time.

Arriving at the building, security had smiled at the familiar face. It had been far too long. They'd briefly told the reporter about their relief for her return, they hadn't seen their boss smile in far too long.

The assistant's desk held an unfamiliar face. A young man who didn't appear to want to give her the time of day stared her down.  
"Can I help you?" It may have been Kara's middle-class appearance that had warranted the rude tone but this man should not have been welcoming people, anyway.  
"I'm an old friend of Lena's, just wanted to stop by and see her." Being so close to where Lena was and not going any further was killing her.  
"Miss Luthor is a very busy woman, she doesn't have time for social calls. Besides, she's not in." He could've started with that.  
"Well, where did she go?"  
"Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you." Kara had never had the displeasure of meeting someone like him before and hoped she never would again. He was what her sister would've called, a cunt.

Even with Kara's desperation to see the woman she understood privacy and let her be. She'd attempted to recover some semblance of normal instead, eating enough food for an army and saving people between meals. It didn't last long when she heard some calling for Kara and followed the beck and call.

Surrounded by nothing but desert and road Lena stood by the side of her car, waiting. As soon as she'd regained her breath from the call, a blue blur had appeared before her.  
"So you're alive," poor Lena had loved and lost but this girl had that cycle on repeat for her.  
"I did my best, I came back as soon as I could." Even as Kara stepped forward Lena retreated further into the shadow her car had created. "Whether I came home or not wasn't clear at first, I'm home now. I tied the string." Hope seemed to be contagious in this very moment, appearing briefly in the young Luthor's eyes.  
"I thought the watch was broken because whenever I pressed it you were still gone." That hope had been traded for a hint of emotion.  
"I heard. The ringing kept me fighting because I knew I had to get back here. When I was alone in this universe, I heard and I didn't give up." Choosing to ignore the feelings bubbling her chest Lena instead chose to change the subject.

Looking around them, she had her next question.  
"What brought me here?" Surveying the surrounding land, memories of an almost forgotten day sprung to mind. Was it possible Lena remembered? What answer could Kara give to her but another question?  
"Why did you come here?" There was one answer that could have the newly returned superhero feeling welcome.  
"Something in my head told me to turn onto this road and stop here." There it was.  
"What in your head?"  
"Fake memories too real to be dreams."  
"Lena,"  
"Why did you say that thing about a string?" Hope was all around and more specifically currently wrapped around the two of them.  
"Because those memories happened. Not in this timeline but Lex used pink kryptonite and forced them to come to pass. I'd never pegged him as a matchmaker." Despite what it was, Lena had laughed at the joke. This time Lena stepped forward, a slightly more friendly distance between them now. Ignoring the movement, Kara instead walked past her and hovered to sit on the roof of the car. As Lena stood staring up at her, almost pouting, Kara jumped down to lift them both up together, pulling her friend a little closer than was necessary.

They sat atop the vehicle for a while in silence, purely because they could. It was the CEO that broke it.  
"Did you only do it because of the kryptonite?" That worry had plagued her in the alternate timeline and followed her to now.  
"Have the guts to tell you? Yes." The small space between them felt larger with every confession.  
"You told me you loved me." Why wouldn't she tell her the truth?  
"You were supposed to be asleep." The blush washing over Kara's cheeks revealed how little confidence she really had in this scenario.  
"If it makes you feel any better I didn't know it was real until later." That did not make her feel better. When the comfortable silence fell again, they both got to thinking. There was something Lena had to say. "You know I'm immensely sorry, right?" There was nothing weighing heavier on her than the fact she may never be able to apologise. Now Kara was here she had to take her chance.  
"After everything, there are more important things to worry about." Now she sat up, she had to get her point across.  
"Kara, I'm sorry." Growing more confused the addressee sat up too.  
"It's okay." What was the big deal? Climbing to her feet now, Lena wanted her point to be understood.  
"You don't get it. You saved my life many times, gave me not only one friend but welcomed me into your little clan and didn't care about my last name or who my family was. You more than anyone should've cared. So I'm sorry for everything I did to hurt you, every time I hid something behind your back, for when I trapped you in the fortress and more importantly when I said something intentionally trying to hurt you. There was no excuse for that." A spiel hadn't been expected and had even Supergirl a little shocked. It hadn't seemed like much on top of everything else but she didn't know how much the girl standing before her regretted. Lena hadn't been alive for all that time when it was just the paragons, she hadn't had the time to reconsider what was important. It was when Kara had tried to stand too that the feeling of the moment had changed. Lena had attempted to make space, in heels, on top of a small roof and started to fall. If she were with anyone else, she would've been hurt.

The pain she had been expecting had never come. Again Supergirl had saved her from a potential injury.  
"My hero," she'd said jokingly.  
"I thought that was Kara Danvers." In feigned horror Lena let her fists bounce off her saviour's chest with an 'unhand me' thrown in for dramatic effect.  
"You mean to tell me you aren't Kara Danvers?" The woman in question rolled her eyes but the smile never left her face.  
"You believed it for a couple years." Lena usually wasn't close enough to hear those remarks.  
"Ooh, low blow. I think you should apologise for that one." That was fair.  
"I'll do you one better." Miss Luthor would've asked what that was had an arm not snaked around her waist and lips met hers. It was definitely better without the looming threat of death. The nothingness around them disappeared and suddenly it was just the two of them. Now Kara played the killjoy  
"As much as I'm enjoying this it would be much more comfortable in my apartment." Still, Lena had to agree, the sun was starting to get to her.  
"You can drive." By handing the keys over she'd cemented her full trust in the new driver, she never let anyone drive her cars.  
"You sure you trust me?" After everything, despite the lie, there was no one she ever trusted more.  
"Always." Another quick kiss planted on Lena's cheek and they were on their way home, finally.


End file.
